312 including an MP arrested over Wednesday demos – Kindiki

Interior CS Kithure Kindiki has said 312 people who directly or indirectly orchestrated or financed Wednesday’s violent protests including an MP have been arrested.

He said the arrested individuals will be charged with various criminal offences.

Kindiki said the violent protests were an act of hooliganism, lawlessness, and a recipe for anarchy and a search for more culprits is being undertaken.

“Violent protests that lead to deaths, injury of civilians and security officers, disruption of daily businesses, destruction of private and public property, and looting are acts of lawlessness that can neither be accepted nor tolerated,” Kindiki said.

He added that there is no relationship between lowering the cost of living and the destruction of critical infrastructure built using public funds.

Kindiki was speaking on Thursday when he officially opened the Kiserian Police Station and Olosurutia Sub-Location offices in Kajiado North Constituency, Kajiado County.

The police station will beef up security in the area and ease access to government services for the residents.

He reiterated that security officers are directed to enforce the law firmly and decisively and deal with all criminals.

These include economic saboteurs, looters, and vandals who are destroying public and private properties.

During the anti-government protests, a group of protesters in Machakos pulled down a section of the Expressway barrier near Mlolongo.

They were seen pulling the barrier by force while others destroyed the flower containers lining the Expressway walls. 

Transport was also briefly paralysed on the Mombasa Highway as protesters barricaded the road.   BY THE STAR